Myers a battler
Towering D-man overcomes health problems — and son’s scary health situation — to be named Jets’ Masterton nominee
Tyler Myers prefers to look forward and when you think about what he endured last season, it’s easy to see why.
Not only was the towering Winnipeg Jets defenceman limited to 11 games because of a series of lower-body injuries that required multiple surgeries, but he encountered a scary moment in his personal life as well.
In January of 2017, Myers’ wife Michela had an emergency C-section and their son Tristan was born five weeks prematurely.
Tristan stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for several weeks as he battled through a pulmonary hemorrhage, a seizure and a stroke. Things were touch and go for the newest member of the Myers family, but his health has improved, as has his father’s.
Myers has returned to form and he’s on pace to put up more assists and points than he had in any season since winning the Calder Trophy in 2008-09 as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
His ability to overcome adversity on and off the ice was why Myers was chosen in a vote by the Winnipeg chapter of the of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association as the Jets’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
“It means a lot, just to be nominated. It reminds me we went through a tough time last year and some things that we’re glad are in the past,” said Myers, who has six goals and 34 points in 75 games with the Jets this season. “To be where we are today with our little guy and what’s gone on with the team, it’s very exciting.
“A lot of things were put into perspective last year. It’s tough to describe a lot of the emotions that went on, but we’re glad some of those things are in the past. We’re having a lot of fun, not just in the room, but with how our little guy is doing. It’s really looking up and that’s really exciting for my family and being around the guys as well.”
Myers, acquired in the blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Sabres in February of 2015, didn’t ease back into things this season either, as he’s averaging more than 21 minutes of ice time.
“I’ve tried to just play my game and I feel I’ve done that. Part of that is just feeling good again,” said Myers. “Last year was rough with injuries, but I’ve been around long enough to know that’s part of the game. You might have a year like that and then you might come back with a year where you haven’t missed a game. You have to stay positive and just keep moving forward.”
The trophy was first presented by the NHL Writers’ Association in 1968 to commemorate the late William Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who was originally from Winnipeg and exhibited, to a high degree, the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after sustaining an injury during a hockey game.
Myers leaned on his teammates and members of the organization for support during the challenging time.
Myers’ ability to regroup and appear in all 75 games so far this season is a testament to his dedication to the sport he loves.
“The mental strength that it takes to go through what he went through last year, on and off the ice, and then the summer that he had in terms of rehab — and I’m knocking on wood here — to be able to have played all of the games this year, it’s inspirational,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice.
“He’s come back and been great for us. Tyler is one of those players that when he wants to ask a question or talk about hockey, he’s right. If he asks about a neutral-zone faceoff that somebody ran, he knows what’s gone wrong and he’s identified it. He’s a smart man, doesn’t ask a lot of questions, processes video real fast, he’s just a very bright hockey mind.”
Maurice could see the toll that both the on and off-ice challenges had on Myers last season. “It’s like anybody’s lives. We’ve all got jobs. And then when you have a condition like that at home with the emotional energy that it takes to be present every day in what he was dealing with, certainly your priorities get snapped into shape pretty quick,” said Maurice.
“But that’s not to say that work is not a priority, because it is here. It’s performancebased. You don’t get to take a year off and have a year’s (worth of ) poor performance because you’re dealing with something at home, unfortunately.
“The game is so important and he has the crisis at home, in some ways maybe that priority (change) was healthy for him, (it) let him heal, get his mind off the injury, his mind off the game and focus solely on the most important thing in his life.”
The winner is selected in a poll of all chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season and the winner will be unveiled at the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas in June.